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Combat
Support
Air Force Doctrine Document 2–4
XX November 1999
This document complements related discussion found in Joint Publications (JP)
1–0, Doctrine for Personnel Support to Joint Operations; JP 4-0, Doctrine for
Logistic Support of Joint Operations; and JP 6-0, Doctrine for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer (C4) Systems Support to Joint Operations.
BY ORDER OF THE
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE DOCTRINE DOCUMENT 2–4
XX NOVEMBER 1999
Supersedes: AFDD 40, 11 May 1994 and AFDD 42, 28 December 1994
OPR: HQ AFDC/DR (Lt Col James Cresta)
Certified by: AFDC/CC (Maj Gen Timothy A. Kinnan)
Pages: 44
Distribution: F
Approved by: MICHAEL E. RYAN, General, USAF
Chief of Staff
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FOREWORD
Frequently, operational aerospace forces must respond to global taskings
within hours. The support these forces require must be equally responsive. This is the challenging job of combat support, the foundation of
aerospace power. In the past, we used massive quantities of in-theater
supplies and support forces. This is a luxury we won’t be able to afford in
future operations. Employing the Aerospace Expeditionary Forces (AEF)
requires a shift from the previous military philosophy of massively deployed support structures and basing toward more tailored forces geared
for rapid deployment. The AEF must rely on the rapid movement of
force packages to conduct their combat, peacekeeping, counterdrug,
and nation-assistance missions.
Combat support consists of those people and organizations responsible
for planning, programming, and sustaining the forces; who and what are
deployed; as well as how they arrive and return home safely. Although
not doctrine per se, agile combat support is an Air Force core competency
that touches every functional area and is key to meeting the US Air Force’s
mission to organize, train, and equip. The dedicated support of our
people makes combat support a reality. The goal of combat support is to provide the best possible aerospace forces to joint and
unified commanders.
MICHAEL E. RYAN
General, USAF
Chief of Staff
XX November 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD ............................................................................................ i
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... v
CHAPTER ONE—Combat Support Overview ................................... 1
Background ......................................................................................... 1
Definition ........................................................................................... 2
Role of Combat Support Functions ..................................................... 2
Core Combat Support Principles ........................................................ 4
Responsiveness ............................................................................... 4
Survivability ................................................................................... 5
Sustainability .................................................................................. 6
Time-definite Resupply .................................................................. 7
Information Integration ................................................................. 8
Conclusion .......................................................................................... 8
CHAPTER TWO—Combat Support Process ...................................... 9
Readying the Force ........................................................................... 10
Preparing the Force ........................................................................... 11
Protecting the Force .......................................................................... 12
Positioning the Force ........................................................................ 13
Employing the Force ........................................................................ 14
Sustaining the Force ......................................................................... 15
Recovering the Force ........................................................................ 16
CHAPTER THREE—Combat Support Deliverables ....................... 19
Educated and Trained Forces ............................................................ 19
Protected, Fit, and Survivable Forces ............................................... 19
Expeditionary Aerospace Forces ....................................................... 21
Host-nation Support ..................................................................... 21
Prepositioning .............................................................................. 22
Reachback .................................................................................... 22
Bases and Infrastructure Considerations .......................................... 23
En Route and Theater Infrastructure ........................................... 23
Force Generation and Recovery ................................................... 23
Responsive Command and Control .................................................. 24
Organizations ............................................................................... 24
Command and Control Information Systems .............................. 24
CHAPTER FOUR—Command and Control Elements .................... 25
Participation in Joint Operations ..................................................... 25
Base Operating Support .................................................................... 26
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Support Structures ............................................................................ 26
Total Asset Visibility ......................................................................... 26
Combat Support Resource Sourcing and Distribution ...................... 27
Retrograde Management .................................................................. 27
CHAPTER FIVE—Conclusion ........................................................... 29
Suggested Readings ............................................................................ 31
Glossary ............................................................................................... 33
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INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE
Both Air Force weapons systems and personnel are employed across
the broad spectrum of US and multinational military operations. This
combat support doctrine facilitates the responsiveness, readiness, and
sustainability of US Air Force forces contributing to these operations.
Expeditionary aerospace power will shift the previous military philosophy from massively deployed support structures and basing toward tailored forces geared for rapid deployment. Air Force Doctrine Document
(AFDD) 2-4, Combat Support, outlines the Air Force perspective on how
best to rapidly deploy and support operational aerospace capabilities. This
AFDD implements Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 10-13, Air and Space
Doctrine.
APPLICATION
This AFDD applies to all Air Force military and civilian personnel (includes Air Force Reserve Command [AFRC] and Air National Guard [ANG]
units and members). The doctrine in this document is authoritative, but
not directive. Commanders need to consider not only the contents of this
AFDD, but also the particular situation and requirements when accomplishing their missions.
SCOPE
AFDD 2-4 is the keystone document addressing the full spectrum of
combat support functions that operate in peace and in war. It stresses the
need for tailored combat support packages with the airmen, facilities,
equipment, and supplies required for supporting aerospace forces.
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CHAPTER ONE
COMBAT SUPPORT OVERVIEW
The primary function of an armed force is to fight in battle.
That is nowadays impossible without a highly complex system of
supporting activities.
Lieutenant General Sir John Winthrop Hackett
The Profession of Arms
BACKGROUND
Post-cold-war drawdowns and lessons from recent expeditionary operations make the traditional practice of moving massive quantities of
troops and large stockpiles of supplies into a theater to engage hostile
forces less likely or feasible. Today, combat support focuses on the rapid
movement and sustainment of tailored force packages to conduct military operations anywhere in the world.
From peacekeeping, to aiding third-world nations, to conducting
counterdrug operations, the military continues to adapt to evolving missions. Combat support infrastructure and processes must evolve continuously in response to new demands. The key to successful military operations is creating robust, responsive, flexible, and integrated combat support systems. Resource constraints may require military infrastructure
changes, smaller inventory and forces, and life cycle cost reductions without degrading operational capabilities.
The basic foundation of combat support is a motivated and ready force
tailored, organized, trained, and equipped to accomplish tasks. Combat
support leaders should always be looking for ways to optimize their forces
to more effectively and efficiently support the warfighter. For example,
competitive sourcing and privatization initiatives may reduce cost but
could impact how forces are organized. Combat support operations in
the twenty-first century will continue to require a highly responsive and
agile combat support (ACS) force. The success of combat support depends on flexibility in adapting to evolving military strategy, budget constraints, and emerging technology advances.
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DEFINITION
Combat support provides the foundation for and is the enabler of the
Air Force core competencies. It includes the actions taken to ready, sustain, and protect aerospace personnel, assets, and capabilities through all
peacetime and wartime military operations. Furthermore, it supports
the unique contributions of aerospace power: speed, flexibility, versatility, and global reach.
ROLE OF COMBAT SUPPORT FUNCTIONS
Each major combat support function has a role in the integrated support process. Table 1.1 briefly describes the role of each function. Each is
critical to the Air Force’s operational success.
Table 1.1
Functions and Roles
Function
Role
Acquisition
Plans for, develops, and procures spare parts and complete weapons and
support systems in rapid response to a combat need.
Chaplain Service
Implements global ministry strategies supporting the free exercise of
religion. Meets the diverse religious needs of Air Force personnel and
their families through spiritual care and ethical leadership. Provides
religious observances, pastoral care, and advice to Air Force leaders.
Civil
Engineer
Communications and
Information
Provides general and combat engineering; explosive ordnance disposal;
disaster preparedness; environmental management; major accident
recovery; fire protection; and mitigation and recovery from the effects
of weapons of mass destruction (including nuclear, biological, and
chemical weapons), peacetime emergencies, and terrorist incidents.
Provides the capabilities to create, store, retrieve, fuse, display,
disseminate, and dispose of information. This capability includes
communications, information resources management, information
warfare support, knowledge management through records management,
postal support, visual information, and computer support.
Comptroller
Provides the appropriate application of funds to ensure the timely delivery
of services and capabilities.
Contracting
Provides the means for basic life support, including billeting, food, water,
and transportation. Negotiates leasing and renting contracts, provides
local services, and assists in rebuilding infrastructure, bridges, and roads.
Health Services
Provides a variety of activities grouped into force health protection,
health surveillance and risk assessment, dentistry, prevention, health
care delivery, and interface with aeromedical evacuation.
Legal
Provides legal advice to commanders on disciplinary issues and on the
legal aspects of other base support issues, to include finance, personnel,
and contracting issues. Legal also provides advice and assistance on all
operational and international law.
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Table 1.1—continued
Function
Role
Logistics Plans
Responsible for integrating logistics functions as well as base support,
deployment, reception, resupply, and redeployment planning.
Maintenance
Repairs weapon and support systems and their components. Provides
organic, intermediate, and emergency battle damage depot-level
maintenance on the flight line.
Materiel
Management
Manages worldwide asset requirements, visibility, and accountable
inventories for serviceables and reparables, to ensure prepositioned and
resupply stock levels are available when needed.
Munitions
Procures, manages, allocates, and maintains munitions to include
maintenance, buildup, staging, delivery, and loading.
Office of Special
Investigation
Investigates crimes against the Air Force and its members. Conducts
counterintelligence defensive information operations. Performs civilian
contractor background checks.
Personnel
Provides airmen with the proper skills, training, and experience required
to accomplish the mission. Builds and sustains accession, development,
and workforce management plans and programs needed to allow all
functions to meet their missions with effective human resources.
Provides accountability of in-garrison and deployed forces. Provides
commanders reachback capabilities to increase or decrease available
personnel.
Public Affairs
Disseminates information to the Air Force, news media, and public.
Quality and
Manpower
Provides controls to ensure efficient and economical use of available
personnel and processes.
Safety
Promotes a safe environment for aerospace forces to live and work.
Security Forces
Provides forces for air base defense, security, and law enforcement
services. Provides protection to weapons systems, personnel, and
infrastructure.
Services
Provides food service, mortuary affairs, lodging, fitness, retail sales and
services, laundry and dry cleaning services, and recreational opportunities
while maintaining a sense of community and quality of life.
Space Support
Teams
Provides space expertise and applications to theater air commanders.
Supply
Stocks, stores, and issues assets that support operations and the repair
of assets.
Transportation
Provides timely delivery, resupply, retrograde, and vehicle support.
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CORE COMBAT SUPPORT PRINCIPLES
The combat support process, discussed in chapter two, involves five
underlying principles: responsiveness, survivability, sustainability, timedefinite resupply, and information integration. These principles are
integrated to create a systematic process for providing seamless combat
support while minimizing the support footprint. The end results of applying these principles and using the process are the deliverables discussed in chapter three.
Responsiveness
Combat support
has the flexibility to
provide a tailored response with personnel, equipment, and
support. Inherent in
this principle is a properly prepared force,
well trained, organized
to achieve mission-essential tasks, and
equipped with suffi- Responsive combat support forces prepare
cient resources to ac- the runway for operations.
complish the mission. Agile combat support, one of the Air Force’s core
competencies outlined in AFDD 1, Air Force Basic Doctrine, is achieved by
proper planning and providing equipment and trained personnel when
and where needed.
Combat support forces have the capability to deploy to any location in
support of operations across the spectrum of conflict. Civil engineer mobility forces, organized as Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force (Prime BEEF)
and RED HORSE units, employ specialized training, tactics, and equipment
to rapidly establish the essential infrastructure needed to support the mission whenever and wherever required.
The Air Force has unique deployment capabilities that allow extreme
flexibility. Air Force mobility forces, such as RED HORSE, can rapidly deploy to an unimproved, possibly hostile site. Once in place, mobility forces
can establish runways and support facilities, install essential infrastructure
and billeting, and conduct bare base operations that allow the support,
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generation, and maintenance of air missions. As a result, the support
footprint is minimized. Deployable communications assets, including
initial communications packages and combat communications units, provide inter- and intratheater communications support to air operations
where limited or no base information infrastructure exists. These assets
enhance operational capabilities and reduce the support footprint. Deployed forces rely on many resources and capabilities such as:
µ Prepositioned stock and war reserve materiel (WRM).
µ Responsive reachback to reduce need for WRM, airlift, and bare-base
assets.
The focus of the equipment support systems should shift from maintaining massive inventories to establishing rapid-response capabilities. This will
increase operational capability, reduce the mobility footprint, and reduce
cost with streamlined inventory. The key to successfully developing a responsive combat equipment support system is to emphasize:
µ Efficient business-based management.
µ Integrated command and control.
µ Accurate inventories and asset visibility.
µ Time-sensitive transportation.
µ Responsive depot-level repair.
Survivability
Survivability is a
critical element of
aerospace power. In
the broadest sense,
it includes protecting people, weapons
systems, and support structures. Increasingly lethal international and domestic
threats dictate the Air
Force take aggressive
measures to protect its
personnel and instal-
Air base defense requires basic weapons and
tactics training.
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lations from all threats, including weapons of mass destruction. An AEF
poised to respond within hours to global taskings should also expect protection to accompany them. At a minimum, successful air base defense
requires basic weapons and tactics training for all deployed Air Force personnel. (See the AFDD on Force Protection.)
Commanders should also plan and prepare to maintain the necessary
support to enable continuity of operations throughout the execution of
wartime, contingency, Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW),
or garrison operations. Force health protection elements, such as health
surveillance information gathering and prevention programs, continue
throughout the duration of operations. Examples include:
µ Oversight of food, water, disease carrying pests, and other individual,
occupational, or environmental health-related factors important to theater commanders.
µ Protection measures employed by the Air Force Medical Services to
detect or counter potential and adverse nuclear, biological,chemical
(NBC) and conventional threats. In concert with civil engineering personnel, medical support to the commander includes advice regarding
chemical and biological detection systems. (See the AFDD on Health
Services.)
Sustainability
Sustainability measures the Air Force’s
ability to maintain
combat support to all
users throughout the
theater for the duration of the operation.
To reduce forward-deployed inventories,
commanders should
embark on a rigorous,
situationally dependent, base support planning effort. This should Deploy only what you cannot obtain locally in
allow assessment of a timely manner.
what a deploying force
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must bring with it, as opposed to what can be obtained locally. This
includes contracting for rental and leasing, and coordinating host-nation
support. Although one goal of combat support is to reduce forward-deployed inventories, these stocks cannot be eliminated completely. Deploying forces may use prepositioned assets to generate forces for immediate operations and then use reachback for sustainment. Reachback encompasses the complex network that transfers information regarding weapons systems status and requirements. It is the concept whereby deployed
units seek support from rear, home station, or nearest available sources.
The ability to continue support throughout all operational phases relies
heavily on personnel preparedness and assets drawn from a seamless support system. The air mobility system and its contribution to rapidly resupplying and relocating forces are provided by the US Air Force. Combat
communications and other deployable communications systems, such as
Commercial Satellite Communications Initiative, provide the capability to
expand the base information infrastructure. These capabilities allow smaller
forward forces to draw information and resources from outside the theater
of operation through systems such as the Global Command and Control
System (GCCS) and the Global Combat Support System (GCSS).
Time-definite Resupply
Time-definite resupply means delivering, immediately resupplying, and sustaining a
deployed force when
and where needed.
By providing users
with reliable, predictable mission-critical
parts delivery, timedefinite resupply gives
deployed commanders the confidence to
reduce investment in
stock inventories.
This method forms the
basis for all resupply in
theater. When combat Air mobility provides the backbone of timecommanders require definite resupply.
an item, the system
provides reachback to
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home station or the nearest source and delivers it where it is needed. This
approach makes it possible to deploy fewer personnel and their functions.
Information Integration
Exploiting advances in communications and information technology will enhance
combat support. Information integration is the
timely and accurate access
and fusion of data across
combat support agencies
worldwide, providing reliable asset visibility and resource access to the
warfighter. Information
technology should be leveraged to improve command and control, which
Agile combat support requires seamless
is key to making timely
exchange and universal access to
and accurate decisions.
information.
An example of leveraging
information technology is the GCSS, designed to provide universal access
to information and seamless exchange among support functions and the
chain of command.
CONCLUSION
Combat support functions and roles, along with the five principles of
responsiveness, survivability, sustainability, time-definite resupply, and information integration, ensure Air Force assets can be deployed and sustained
with minimum notice. Operational aerospace forces should be guaranteed the required support in any circumstance regardless of location.
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CHAPTER TWO
COMBAT SUPPORT PROCESS
Air control can be established by superiority in numbers, by
better employment, by better equipment, or by a combination
of these factors.
General Carl A. “Tooey” Spaatz
Combat support is a process, as depicted in figure 2.1, that begins at
the unit level during peacetime and is recognized for its vital importance
during deployments or war. The Air Force trains to accomplish the mission in a safe operating environment, taking full advantage of integrated
base support functions identified in table 1.1. Forces should train like
they will fight so they are fully prepared when they mobilize or deploy
for exercises or actual military operations.
Figure 2.1. Combat Support Process
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READYING THE FORCE
Readying the force means establishing an organized, trained, and
equipped force ready to operate in peace or war. Diverse mission taskings
require integrated and efficient support functions. The key to readiness
is being able to respond to the full spectrum of military operations. Commanders are responsible for ensuring airmen are trained and ready to
deploy. Air Force fitness programs encourage warriors to maintain a fit
and healthy lifestyle so airmen are battle ready. For the AEF, the reachback
capability to home-based resources is integral to readiness. Personnel
should be ready to deploy and support operations with the appropriate
forward area infrastructure. Combat support capabilities can be deployed
with a smaller footprint by employing compact, multiuse equipment with
increased dependability and less redundancy.
The Air Force is committed to a base environment
that fosters a sense of community through quality of
life programs. Maintaining
a high quality of life enables
the Air Force to recruit,
train, retain, and motivate a
highly capable force.
A fit and healthy force.
Actions to Ready the Force:
µ Organize.
µ Train.
µ Equip.
µ Establish quality of life.
µ Monitor world situation.
µ Support training operations tempo.
µ Establish and secure lines of communication.
µ Ensure personal health and fitness.
µ Provide a medically ready force and a ready medical capability.
µ Inform the force and public.
µ Promote spiritual and emotional well being.
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PREPARING THE FORCE
Preparing the force in the operational environment ranges from
broad to focused base support planning and assessment. Adequate
preparation includes gathering, assessing, analyzing, and disseminating
information on the environment’s support capabilities and constraints.
Planners should collect and include this data in an appropriate annex or
appendix of a commander in chief (CINC) operation plan (OPLAN) or Air
Force component OPLAN.
Commanders should ensure combat support planners participate at
the start of force deployment and employment planning. Examples of
deployment area characteristics that should be assessed include:
µ Ability to support personnel, weapons, and systems.
µ Airfield supportability.
µ External support (e.g., support from host nation, joint, coalition, contracted, etc., sources).
µ Operational constraints (e.g., weather, geography, etc.).
µ Environmental constraints (e.g., host-nation standards, hazardous materials, etc.).
µ Threat of enemy, dissident, and terrorist activity.
µ Presence of endemic diseases.
µ Risk of exposure to weapons of mass destruction.
Accurately assessing support
capabilities and infrastructures
is critical to the Air Force’s agility because it allows planners
to determine support requirements and properly tailor force
packages. After the initial assessment, commanders should
continually consider ways to
enhance the operational environment. This may include
conducting such actions as
psychological operations or Reachback communications transfer
ensuring the security of critical information regarding operational
information through operations support needs.
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security and information assurance measures. Preparing the operational
environment should also include public affairs coordination. Robust and
integrated combat support information systems ensure the ability to rapidly identify requirements, obtain resupply, and track assets status.
Actions to Prepare the Force:
µ
Assess the threat.
µ
Obtain medical estimate.
µ
Plan base support.
µ
Preposition assets.
µ Gather information.
µ Maintain resource visibility.
µ
Identify local resources.
µ
Establish reachback capability.
PROTECTING THE FORCE
Force protection
provides the safe and
secure operational environment necessary
to ensure mission
completion. It plays a
part in every Air Force
operation, from conducting surveillance
against threats, to furnishing air base defense,
protecting
against health threats,
providing community
safety, and protecting Airmen should be trained to counter all
communication and in- threats.
formation systems. Everyone is responsible for force protection. Every airman should be trained in force protection knowledge, concepts, and
weapons skills; self-aid and buddy care; field hygiene; NBC defense measures; and antiterrorism and threat awareness. The prime goal is to execute the mission with increased freedom and reduced fear. (See the AFDD
on Force Protection.)
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Actions to Protect the Force:
µ
Defend air base.
µ
Coordinate host-nation assistance and cooperation.
µ Conduct surveillance against threats.
µ
Provide community safety.
µ Conduct defensive information operations.
µ
Increase awareness.
µ
Protect resources.
µ
Collect intelligence.
µ
Perform intelligence assessment.
µ
Prepare employment security actions.
µ
Practice disaster preparedness and operations security.
POSITIONING THE FORCE
Positioning includes
deploying, receiving,
and bedding down tailored and prioritized
forces. The supported
CINC’s air component
should work with the
supporting CINC’s air
component to meet the
supported CINC’s priorities. Deployment
should expedite personDeploying, receiving, and bedding down the
nel, aircraft, and equipforce.
ment movement to
meet operational priorities. Receiving forces involves offloading at staging locations and accounting for all assets, moving to operating locations,
and performing beddown activities. Aerospace forces should be prepared
to beddown at a variety of locations ranging from main operating bases to
austere bare bases. Forces should immediately prepare to support operations upon arriving at their final destination.
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Actions to Position the Force:
µ Account for prepositioned assets.
µ Account for host nation and coalition assets and support.
µ Structure the deployed combat support contingent to accomplish necessary
operations.
µ Deploy en route support force.
µ Deploy employment elements.
µ Establish initial operational cadre in the area of operations.
µ Receive and account for forces.
µ Prepare for operations.
µ Conduct environmental baseline survey.
µ Begin reachback operations.
EMPLOYING THE FORCE
Employing the force is conducting and supporting aerospace operations. Force employment requires support functions
such as services, personnel, civil
engineering, communications,
health services, maintenance,
force protection, and others covered in table 1.1. Operations
could commence even while additional combat support is being
Preparing for operations.
received and integrated. In theater, combat support elements provide input for building the air tasking order
(ATO) that supports the air component commander by sourcing and distributing
combat resources to best meet mission tasking.
Actions to Employ the Force:
µ
Generate force to combat or operational levels.
µ
Provide timely information dissemination.
µ
Accomplish field mission training.
µ
Launch, recover, or regenerate operational elements.
µ
Accomplish force support for continuing operations.
µ
Preserve installation security.
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SUSTAINING THE FORCE
Sustaining the force is the ability to maintain and prolong combat support
to all users throughout the theater for the duration of the operation. There are
seven essential requirements to successful force sustainment:
µ An efficient and effective in-theater distribution system.
µ Scheduled mobility to resupply equipment.
µ Effective asset visibility.
µ Reliable communication and information systems.
µ Generation and repair of equipment (including depot level maintenance).
µ Augmention and rotation of people.
µ Care of people.
Constant communication, planning, and status updates throughout
sustainment are critical. Resupply operations are a primary force sustainment component. The sooner materiel sustainment can begin, the
fewer supplies a deployed unit must take with it. A successful resupply
operation requires the following:
µ Lightweight, portable, and integrated communication and information
systems should be operational as soon as possible.
µ Scheduled airlift should begin as soon as possible and be integral to
planned airflow.
µ Sufficient spares and an effective and efficient in-theater distribution
system should be in place.
These resupply measures can also be used in reverse to provide a pipeline to return reparables to overhaul sites. The “agile logistics” concept
requires fewer spares to be used more efficiently. For the concept to
work, reparables cannot accumulate either in theater or in transit. Another key element to force sustainment is rapid aircraft repair. Aircraft
battle damage repair teams provide depot-level repair capability in-theater to reduce aircraft downtime and sustain aircraft operations. Rapid
personnel augmentation or replacement is equally important to provide
the theater CINC or joint task force (JTF) commander maximum flexibility throughout the sustainment phase.
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An overlooked facet of
sustainment is the ability
to rapidly research, develop, and field a new or
modified weapon system
to meet special or unforeseen needs. For example,
the GBU-28 “Bunker
Buster” bomb was developed in 18 days during Operation DESERT STORM;
and the E-8 joint surveillance, target attack radar
Responsive medical care.
system, an immature system, was deployed and supported during the Gulf War with no delay to its development program in the United States. Development programs should consider
the potential for accelerating the fielding of these immature systems, should the
need arise.
Actions to Sustain the Force:
µ
Transition initial force to mature, steady-state operation.
µ
Optimize information, communication, and resource flow.
µ
Maintain operational security.
RECOVERING THE
FORCE
Recovering the force includes
readying forces to deploy, redeploy (i.e., move to a new deployment location, rotate, or be
replaced), or reintegrate into
their home station. All three actions can occur simultaneously
in the same theater. Planners
should track resources throughout the transportation process to
enable rapid reconstitution and
continued readiness during
recovery. Recovering the force
involves more than moving
Safe return to home station.
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aircraft and units. At times bases may have to be closed, repaired, and
returned to host nations. Environmental impact and combat support resource information from the closure site may need to be collected.
Units returning to home station should pack their equipment, perform
required decontamination, mark items for refurbishment or disposal (ensuring reparables are returned to depot), and arrange for hazardous waste
disposal and hazardous spill remediation. Base services and force protection should continue until all personnel have departed. Once at home
station, deferred maintenance, refurbishment, and reconstitution should
take priority, making the unit ready for another deployment. This includes restoring health documents and individual records. Fitness, recreation, and family-oriented programs play an essential role in recovering
the force. Returning personnel should be provided time to reintegrate
into their work places, families, and communities. Allowing adequate
time to reestablish individual, family, and community ties is essential to
the long-term viability of the force.
Actions to Recover the Force:
µ
Reduce cadre size to support redeployment.
µ
Continue medical surveillance.
µ
Deploy en route support forces.
µ
Launch redeployment force.
µ
Maintain information and communication flow.
µ
Maintain control of resource flow.
µ
Consider environmental impact.
µ
Redeploy remaining combat support resources.
µ
Reconstitute forces.
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CHAPTER THREE
COMBAT SUPPORT DELIVERABLES
Air Power alone does not guarantee America’s security, but I
believe it best exploits the nation’s greatest asset—our technical
skill.
General Hoyt S. Vandenberg
Combat Support deliverables are the desired or expected results
that provide agile combat support for expeditionary aerospace
forces. Each combat support function listed in table 1.1 is critical and
contributes to the integrated ACS process. This integration creates the
synergy needed to produce products and services, or deliverables.
EDUCATED AND TRAINED FORCES
Education and training are integral to the Air Force’s success. Basic training begins with ingraining Air Force history, heritage, and
culture into its newest members. Modern military operations are complex, dynamic, and among the most demanding human activities. Only
through education and training can individuals meet these demands. Air
Force personnel should engage in a continuous education and training program that helps them gain, maintain, and upgrade occupational skills; improve professional qualifications and judgment; and prepare for leadership
and supervisory challenges. Stateside and deployed locations should take
advantage of technology to maintain training for their personnel. (See the
AFDDs on Leadership and Command and Education and Training.)
Education and training extend beyond formal learning into all areas in
the Air Force community such as fostering strong community ties and personal well being.
PROTECTED, FIT, AND SURVIVABLE FORCES
Programs in all combat support organizations should improve physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness for those deploying and those who
remain behind, both military and family members. Heightened operations tempo in continental United States (CONUS) and forward-deployed
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locations necessitates placing a high priority on individual preparedness
to meet growing mission requirements.
Historically, disease and nonbattle related injuries cause the greatest
force degradation during both peacetime and contingencies. Commanders should ensure their personnel are fully ready for deployment
by providing familiarization training for preventive health measures and field hygiene. This will minimize the effects of endemic
disease and combat and environmental stresses while reducing projected
injury rates derived from accidents and combat action. Additionally, personnel suffering from battle or nonbattle injuries or from disease must be
either treated for early return to duty or stabilized for rapid evacuation.
Individual fitness prepares Air Force warriors for the physically demanding environment of military operations. Physically fit personnel
complete mission tasks more efficiently and effectively. Combat support
personnel should achieve and maintain a high fitness level before, during, and after deployed operations. Individual programs should include
cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training—essential to a fitness program. Physically fit warriors are more productive, resist stress better,
are less likely to be injured, and are more resistant to illness and disease
than unfit warriors. Physical fitness is paramount to mission accomplishment. Prevention of self-destructive behavior or suicide is also critical
for a fit force, especially in an extended deployment. (See the AFDD on
Health Services.)
Spiritual wellness has an explicit impact on mission effectiveness by
enabling Air Force members to swiftly and decisively respond to any contingency. The spirit of the airman needs continual nourishment because
spiritual health has direct correlation with physical, mental, and moral
health. To that end, the Air Force supports military personnel by promoting spiritual faith, moral character, and commitment according to the core
values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do.
The Air Force should create an environment conducive to operational
success by ensuring forces can prepare for and execute operations while
minimizing the threat of attack. This environment should also provide
systems and other information sources for early detection and warning
against attacks, as well as minimize the effects of actual attacks.
Counterforce, intelligence, and surveillance systems should be sized and
postured to preempt enemy or criminal action and effectively respond to
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perceived threats and actual attacks. Force protection measures can provide the safety and protection needed to allow the mission to proceed.
This includes providing appropriate security forces; force health protection; detection and warning of NBC attack; and plans for asset protection
from enemy attack or terrorist actions. (See the AFDD on Force Protection)
EXPEDITIONARY AEROSPACE FORCES
Combat support aids in tailoring and phasing force packages allowing
deployed forces to remain operational until resupply can begin. Tailoring meets two requirements: only the forces necessary for successful mission accomplishment are sent, and beddown site facilities
are matched with support equipment and personnel. Additional
forces and materiel are available to the theater commander via reachback.
Having detailed beddown site information is vital when planning what to
bring. Creating tailorable units makes it easier to deploy a smaller force
that has significantly reduced initial and resupply needs yet is operationally sufficient to meet the mission.
Host-nation Support
To achieve economy of force and a viable combat support structure in an international setting, the US and its partners should
make maximum use of host-nation support via international agreements. Such agreements detail what combat support the host nation will
provide and what the host nation expects in return. Air Force elements
ensure these agreements are translated into actions for planning and conducting operations. The results define support requirements during all
operations phases. They prescribe support tasks affecting tangible resources—people, materiel, facilities, utilities, and information from acquisition to consumption. Additionally, Air Force elements ensure they
understand and accommodate any exceptions the host country may have
through all phases of the operation.
Host-nation agreements are situationally dependent and can be politically sensitive. Integrated host-nation support reduces the number of US
personnel required; however, host-nation service support should be balanced with force protection. When threats are prevalent or an increased
terrorist threat condition exists, commanders should closely monitor offbase personnel support to determine the impact on force protection measure effectiveness.
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Contracting enhances combat support by acquiring materiel and
services from the local economy. Contracting officers provide commanders flexible and responsive support before, during, and after operations. During Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR, on-scene contracting people
rapidly procured billeting, rental vehicles, construction materials, and
bottled water for the JTF, resulting in better, faster, and more cost-effective combat support.
Prepositioning
Prepositioning assets allows the Air Force to reduce strategic
airlift requirements. To receive the greatest prepositioning benefits,
theater and Service planners should continue refining the process that
integrates operations plans and the time-phased force deployments with
supporting prepositioned assets. While staging assets reduces transportation requirements, the Air Force should maintain a balance between
prepositioning and the ability to deploy into areas where there is no staged
materiel.
Using prepositioned assets for MOOTW over an extended period could
degrade readiness and adversely impact asset availability in a major theater war or another MOOTW. As an alternative to prepositioned assets,
contract support, alternative Service stocks, diverted unit equipment, or
combinations of these methods could better support continuing MOOTW
requirements.
Reachback
Reachback provides commanders the capability to reliably access resources to support deployed airmen and weapons systems.
Reachback success depends on establishing effective logistics command
and control to seamlessly process logistics data from the deployed locations to logistics pipeline managers at all levels. Command and control
systems provide total asset visibility (TAV) and tracking throughout the
logistics process to facilitate the timely delivery of resources to the combat commander. Reachback also depends on implementing a time-definite delivery (TDD) capability, including guaranteed strategic and
intratheater airlift so logistics managers can move people and repairable
assets from deployed locations to designated repair points. Together,
logistics command and control and TDD enable logisticians to maintain
required combat capability levels with the smallest possible footprint.
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BASES AND INFRASTRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Bases and their associated infrastructure provide the springboard
for operational success. Personnel at home stations prepare, train, equip,
and deploy forces while supporting Air Force core competencies and
maintaining quality of life. Deployed locations provide the infrastructure
to sustain combat capability. This infrastructure includes housing, food
service, medical care, and quality of life features such as laundry, recreation, fitness facilities, and chapels. Planning should include analyzing
and assessing communications and information systems infrastructure
requirements.
En Route and Theater Infrastructure
Responsive air mobility allows commanders to shift from a justin-case posture to a resupply posture that emphasizes minimum
up-front deployment of supplies followed by immediate and continuous resupply. To ensure continuity of command along with a smooth
and effective materiel flow in and out of the battlespace, there should be
an en route infrastructure that can be quickly activated and tailored. Political or physical restrictions on personnel, aircraft, and equipment in a
forward environment may restrict inter- and intratheater transportation.
These restrictions mandate an en route infrastructure that can store, care
for, and manage assets and their flow between the time they leave their
origination point and the time they arrive at their final destination. (See
the AFDD on Air Mobility.)
The existing infrastructure at a staging or en route location is a major
concern to arriving forces. A bare en route base requires housing, communications connectivity, and support facilities prior to operating at full
capacity. Adequate infrastructure permits flying operations to begin
quickly after arrival. Infrastructure also impacts a given location’s throughput capacity to and from the theater.
Force Generation and Recovery
The ability to quickly generate operational forces on arrival
depends on proper support forces arriving early in the initial deployment phase to receive and beddown incoming assets. Redeployment and reconstitution ensure aerospace power can be effectively
applied again and again. The objective of combat support in redeployment and reconstitution is to maintain control over resources and ensure
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maximum asset recovery consistent with time and transportation limitations for return to home station or other designated locations. (For information on beddown operations, refer to the AFDD on Bases, Infrastructure, and Facilities.)
RESPONSIVE COMMAND AND CONTROL (C2)
Combat support C2 combines two complementary factors for mission
success: organizations, and command and control information systems.
Organizations
C2 should be tailored and integrated to best meet the needs of
the warfighter. This is true whether the command center is a theaterfocused joint air operations center (JAOC), an aerospace operations
center (AOC), an Air Force forces (AFFOR) headquarters, or a deployed
expeditionary operations center (EOC) with its associated C2 centers for
maintenance, security, medical, survival, and other combat support functions.
Most combat support is located within the Headquarters, AFFOR at the
theater level and provides essential cross-leveling and critical asset management, including personnel. This structure ensures combat support
considerations are addressed throughout the operational planning process. To support operations and these centers and their processes, C2
organizations should include combat support functional representatives
during air base and aircraft generation.
Command and Control Information Systems
Air Force architectures and standards allow for a common operating picture of the battlespace and directly support deployment,
employment, generation, sustainment, and protection decisions.
The Air Force’s C2 vision is supported by architectures that can sense,
decide, and execute the commander’s orders. Sensing includes intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance; TAV; and in-transit visibility (ITV).
Sensing is not limited to sustainment, but extends to threat surveillance,
forecasting enemy intent, and predicting the effects if anticipated threats
materialize. Deciding permits analyzing limiting factors and eliminating
or avoiding constraints during the generation and sustainment process.
Executing permits combat support systems to work reachback, on-time
sustainment, and time-critical movement of essential items and manpower.
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CHAPTER FOUR
COMMAND AND CONTROL ELEMENTS
Just as we capitalized on our strong base of heavy manufacturing
to gain victory in World War II, we will rely on America’s dynamic
new base of available technologies to tailor our fighting force to
tomorrow’s battlefield. Specifically, we are exploiting advances in
information technology to raise our readiness to respond to unstable
situations throughout the world.
General Gordon R. Sullivan
Army Chief of Staff
The end of the cold war era has significantly changed the political and
military environment. Consequently, combat support should adapt its
process to focus on a more responsive support system rather than relying
on traditional systems. To effectively change the way the Air Force supports operations, systems development should include the combat support required to meet the communications and information architecture.
Joint Pub 6-0, Doctrine for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer (C4) Systems Support to Joint Operations, states, “C4 systems seek
interoperability and compatibility through developing all C4 systems on
a life-cycle basis to include architectures, standards and life cycle functional systems support.” This support should be integral to the operation,
not a separate entity. The challenge for system developers is understanding and defining requirements, supporting systems development to meet
those requirements, and using an approach that effectively implements
the support portion of an aerospace operation. The following discusses
how combat support is organized to ensure aerospace forces receive support.
PARTICIPATION IN JOINT OPERATIONS
Combat support for joint forces is provided through individual
Service component commands. The combatant commander exercises
directive authority for combat support and may organize theater forces
any way that optimizes mission effectiveness. This authority is normally
exercised through a joint/combined C2 organization for coordinating
combat support requirements. Support may be obtained from Service
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resources, sister Services, a host nation, or through contracting for services or commodities. A single Service may also be designated to provide
common support, such as land transportation, bulk fuels, or contracting
services. Regardless of the source of support or support C2 structure, the
Service component is responsible for ensuring essential support for Service forces assigned or attached to a joint command.
BASE OPERATING SUPPORT
The highest practical level-of-quality living and working environment should be made available to ensure fighting force effectiveness and efficiency while meeting mission requirements and
restrictions. Units may receive support from other Service components
or nations that may or may not have the same support standards as the
Air Force. Interoperability standards should be negotiated and planned
to ensure all combat support aspects are adequately addressed.
SUPPORT STRUCTURES
The Air Force tailors support requirements to fit the mission,
taking only the structure needed to support it. Many Air Force
support structures are in the rear area. They dramatically decrease deployed personnel requirements, thus reducing the mobility footprint without degrading support to the warfighter.
For example, typical support structures include the US Air Force Contingency
Supply Squadron at Langley AFB, Virginia, and the Standardized Tactical Entry
Point (STEP) sites at overseas bases in Germany. The STEP is a communications gateway that provides reachback into the Defense Information Systems
Network (DISN) for deployed commanders. The STEP provides information
(classified and unclassified) interchange, including voice, data, video, imagery,
and message services (including the Automatic Digital Network and Defense
Message System) from the deployed location via military satellite communications into the DISN.
TOTAL ASSET VISIBILITY
TAV’s goal is to provide timely and accurate information concerning the location, movement, status, and identity of units, personnel, patients, and materiel. It tracks requisitions, locates assets in
storage or in use, views assets in-transit, tracks critical Air Force specialty
codes and staffing levels, and ensures visibility over personnel losses
(patients, casualties, as well as missing in action and prisoners of war).
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TAV relies on integrated information systems providing seamless connectivity between old and new support systems, which enables efficient and
effective resource allocation and command decision making. TAV becomes more critical as force structure is downsized, stocks are reduced,
and political sensitivity increases. Both joint- and Service-initiated
efforts are underway to provide the necessary tools for TAV. Ensuring
airmen are trained to use these TAV tools before contingency operations
leads to more successful combat support.
ITV is the ability to track the identity, status, and location of assets
from origin to destination. ITV will contribute to TAV. ITV will become
more vital as combat support C2 evolves. To ensure commanders have
the appropriate level of ITV, personnel at origin, en route locations, and
destination should use automated information systems that feed standard
joint systems such as the Global Transportation Network (GTN).
COMBAT SUPPORT RESOURCE SOURCING AND
DISTRIBUTION
The Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR) should maintain the ability to source, distribute, and redistribute theater force
support resources under the JTF commander’s operational control. While reachback will provide most force support resources, a functional C2 center used to monitor and manage assigned combat support
forces—the “beds, beans, and bullets,” handled by the Services—such as a
Combat Support Center (CSC) would control the home-based assets distribution within the combatant commander’s area of responsibility (AOR)
to ensure assets are managed from a theater-level perspective.
RETROGRADE MANAGEMENT
A comprehensive retrograde management program should be established as soon as practical after initial deployment. The system should
effectively track deployed assets and ensure reparables are located, prioritized, and returned to their source of repair as quickly as possible.
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CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION
The combat support process, deliverables, and C2 elements are guides
to convert resources into combat support capabilities. The ultimate goal
is to create capabilities to sustain aerospace weapons systems and personnel for use in any theater at any command level, in any operation. Tangible resources (people, materiel, and facilities) are combined with intangible resources (time and information) to produce a capability that can be
employed by commanders at all levels.
Expeditionary operations have transformed the way the Air Force views
combat support. The Air Force now has the opportunity to develop
definitions and doctrine associated with the ACS core competency. This
competency establishes the support community’s role in the global
engagement philosophy.
Combat support reaches beyond pure logistics. It includes force
protection, engineering, services, medical, education, training, communications and information, personnel, and other support functions
mentioned earlier. When participating in exercises, war games, or
contingencies, commanders should ensure realistic combat support considerations are incorporated in operational events. Combat support
deliverables should be analyzed in the after-action reports and critiques
to the same level of detail that aerospace operations are reviewed. These
outcomes will continue to redefine Air Force combat support organizational relationships and concepts of operation that will lead us into the
future.
At the Very Heart of Warfare lies Doctrine . . .
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Suggested Readings
Military Publications
Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 2-3, Military Operations Other Than
War.
AFDD 2-4.1, Force Protection.
AFDD 2-4.2, Health Services.
AFDD 2-4. 4, Bases, Infrastructure, and Facilities.
AFD 2-5, Information Operations.
AFDD 2-8, Command and Control.
Joint Publication (JP) 1-0, Personnel Support to Joint Operations.
JP 1-02, DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.
JP 3-07, Joint Doctrine for Military Operations Other Than War.
JP 3-10, Joint Doctrine for Rear Area Operations.
JP 3-10.1, Joint Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Base Defense.
JP 3-11, Joint Doctrine for NBC Defense.
JP 3-13, Joint Doctrine for Information Operations.
JP 4-0, Doctrine for Logistics Support of Joint Operations.
JP 6-0, Doctrine for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer (C4)
Systems.
Civilian Publications
Lt Col John L. Cirafici. Airhead Operations—Where AMC Delivers the Linchpin of Rapid Force Projection. Air University Press. 1993.
Thomas J. Snyder. The Logistics of Waging War: US Military Logistics, 19821993, the End of the “brute force” Logistics. Air Force Logistics Management Agency. 1998.
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Glossary
Abbreviations and Acronyms
ACS
AEF
AFDD
AFFOR
AFPD
AFRC
ANG
AOC
AOR
ATO
agile combat support
Aerospace Expeditionary Force
Air Force doctrine document
Air Force forces
Air Force Policy Directive
Air Force Reserve Command
Air National Guard
aerospace operations center
area of responsibility
air tasking order
C2
C4
CINC
COMAFFOR
CONUS
CSC
command and control
command, control, communications, and computers
commander in chief
Commander, Air Force Forces
continental United States
Combat Support Center
DISN
Defense Information Systems Network
EOC
Expeditionary Operations Center
GCCS
GCSS
GTN
Global Command and Control System
Global Combat Support System
Global Transportation Network
ITV
in-transit visibility
JAOC
JP
JTF
joint air operations center
joint publication
joint task force
MOOTW
military operations other than war
NBC
nuclear, biological, chemical
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OPLAN
operation plan
Prime BEEF
Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force
STEP
standard tactical entry point
TAV
TDD
total asset visibility
time-definite delivery
WRM
war reserve materiel
Definitions
agile combat support. An Air Force core competency that encompasses
the process of creating, sustaining, and protecting all aerospace capabilities to accomplish mission objectives across the spectrum of operations.
Also called ACS. (AFDD 1)
area of responsibility. The geographical area associated with a combatant command within which a combatant commander has authority to
plan and conduct operations. Also called AOR. (JP 1-02)
battlespace. The commander’s conceptual view of the area and the factors that he must understand to successfully apply combat power, protect
the force, and complete the mission. It encompasses all applicable aspects of air, sea, space, and land operations the commander must consider in planning and executing military operations. The battlespace dimensions can change over time as the mission expands or contracts, according to operational objectives and force composition. Battlespace provides the commander a mental forum for analyzing and selecting courses
of action for employing military forces in relationship to time, tempo,
and depth. (AFDD 1)
beddown. A location at which a deploying unit operates during a contingency. It is usually, but not always, in the area of responsibility (AOR).
command and control. The exercise of authority and direction by a
properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the
accomplishment of the mission. Command and control functions are
performed through an arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications, facilities, and procedures employed by a commander in plan-
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ning, directing, coordinating, and controlling forces and operations in the
accomplishment of the mission. Also called C2. (JP 1-02)
command, control, communications, and computer systems. Integrated systems of doctrine, procedures, organizational structures, personnel, equipment, facilities, and communications designed to support a
commander’s exercise of command and control across the range of military operations. Also called C4 systems. See also command and control. (JP 1-02)
cross-leveling. Responding to priority needs within the area of operations by adjusting and shifting material and personnel to meet combat
support mission requirements at the right place and time.
deliverables. The desired or expected results of specific support functions that contribute to responsive combat support for an aerospace expeditionary force.
deployment. The relocation of forces and material to desired areas of
operations. Deployment encompasses all activities from origin or home
station through destination, specifically including intra-continental United
States, intertheater, and intratheater movement legs, staging, and holding
areas. (JP 1-02) [Act of preparing, staging, and moving equipment and
personnel from their home station to their deployed site, usually in an AOR, to
support an operation.] {Italicized definition in brackets applies only to the
Air Force and is offered for clarity.}
distribution. 1. The arrangement of troops for any purpose, such as a
battle, march, or maneuver. 2. A planned pattern of projectiles about a
point. 3. A planned spread of fire to cover a desired frontage or depth. 4.
An official delivery of anything, such as orders or supplies. 5. That functional phase of military logistics that embraces the act of dispensing materiel, facilities, and services. 6. The process of assigning military personnel to activities, units, or billets. (JP 1-02)
force protection. Security program designed to protect Service members, civilian employees, family members, facilities, and equipment, in
all locations and situations, accomplished through planned and integrated
application of combatting terrorism, physical security, operations security, personal protective services and supported by intelligence, counterintelligence, and other security programs. (JP 1-02) [Measures taken to
prevent or mitigate successful hostile actions against Air Force people and
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resources while not directly engaged with the enemy.] {Italicized definition
in brackets applies only to the Air Force and is offered for clarity.}
Global Command and Control System. Highly mobile, deployable
command and control system supporting forces for joint and multinational operations across the range of military operations, any time and
anywhere in the world with compatible, interoperable, and integrated
command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems.
Also called GCCS. See also command and control. (JP 1-02)
global engagement. The ability to hit an adversary’s strategic centers of
gravity directly as well as prevail at the operational and tactical levels of
warfare. It stresses what the Air Force provides that no other service’s air
force can: speed, flexibility, and global nature. (Global Engagement: A
Vision for the 21st Century Air Force)
global transportation network. The automated support necessary to
enable USTRANSCOM and its components to provide global transportation management. The global transportation network provides the integrated transportation data and systems necessary to accomplish global
transportation planning, command and control, and in-transit visibility
across the range of military operations. Also called GTN. (JP 1-02)
hazardous materials. Any item or chemical that can cause harm to
people or the natural environment when released by spilling, leaking,
discharging, dumping, or disposing into the environment.
home station. The permanent location [CONUS or overseas installations] of active duty units and Reserve Component units (e.g., location of
armory or reserve center). (JP 1-02) {Information in brackets added for
clarity.}
host-nation support. Civil and/or military assistance rendered by a
nation to foreign forces within its territory during peacetime, crises or
emergencies, or war based on agreements mutually concluded between
nations. (JP 1-02)
information. 1. Facts, data, or instructions in any medium or form. 2.
The meaning that a human assigns to data by means of the known conventions used in their representation. (JP 1-02)
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integration. 1. A stage in the intelligence cycle in which a pattern is
formed through the selection and combination of evaluated information.
2. In photography, a process by which the average radar picture seen on
several scans of the time base may be obtained on a print, or the process
by which several photographic images are combined into a single image.
(JP 1-02)
in-transit visibility. The ability to track the identity, status, and location of DOD units, and non-unit cargo (excluding bulk petroleum, oils,
and lubricants) and passengers; medical patients; and personal property
from origin to consignee or destination across the range of military operations. See also global transportation network. (JP 1-02)
operation plan. Any plan, except for the Single Integrated Operation
Plan, for the conduct of military operations. Plans are prepared by combatant commanders in response to requirements established by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and by commanders of subordinate commands in response to requirements tasked by the establishing unified
commander. Operation plans are prepared in either a complete format
(OPLAN) or as a concept plan (CONPLAN)…. a. An operation plan for
the conduct of joint operations that can be used as a basis for development of an operation order (OPORD). An OPLAN identifies the forces
and supplies required to execute the CINC’s Strategic Concept and a movement schedule of these resources to the theater of operations…. (JP 1-02)
[This is a partial definition and is the portion that pertains to this AFDD.]
reachback. The process of obtaining products, services, and applications, or forces, equipment, or materiel from Air Force organizations that
are not forward deployed. (AFDD 2)
RED HORSE. These units are wartime-structured to provide a heavy
engineer capability. They have a responsibility across the area of operations, are not tied to a specific base, and not responsible for base operation and maintenance. These units are mobile, rapidly deployable, and
largely self-sufficient, for limited periods of time.
remediation. Actions taken in response to cleaning up a contaminated
site to mitigate effects of environmental contamination on human health
and safety, the environment, or the mission. Remediation actions can
range from total cleanup, to monitoring of the site, to no action required.
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These site clean-up activities are performed safely and consistently in
accordance with the Air Force Solid and Hazardous Waste Program.
retrograde. Returning assets—particularly reparable parts—from the AOR
to their source of repair.
sustainment. The provision of personnel, logistics, and other support
required to maintain and prolong operations or combat until successful
accomplishment or revision of the mission or of the national objective.
(JP 1-02)
time-definite resupply. A fundamental shift in the way we support
deployed forces. Resupply of deployed forces will begin upon arrival, reducing their initial lift requirement. Time-definite delivery will form the
basis for all resupply in the theater, thus reducing total lift requirement.
When combat commanders require an item, the system will reach back to
the CONUS and deliver it where and when it is needed. (Global Engagement: A Vision for the 21st Century Air Force)
total asset visibility. An integrated structure using a command and
control process to ensure the quantity, condition, and location of critical
assets are visible. Also called TAV.
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